System of brief typed phonetic transcription of speech sounds



Oct. 24, 1933. v w N CK 1,931,816

SYSTEM OF BRIEF TYPED PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS Filed Feb. 1 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 &

GATHERING SIG.N

- L GHT VOWELS' SPACEBAR.

Oct. 24, 1933. v. w. HANCOCK 1,931,816

SYSTEM OF BRIEF TYPED PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS Filed Feb. 10, 1932 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nvenfor.

Patented Got. 24, 1933 ere-em eeriestars.

SYSTEM OF BRIEF TYPED l? H NE T I C TRANSGRIPTEON 0F SPEECH SQUNDS 4 Claims.

This invention has reference to an improved system of phonetic writing by means of the ordinarytypewriter, one of the chief advantages of the system. residing in the fact that the phonetic interpretation of the typed symbols written by one person, can be made by anyone familiar with the system, while it is rarely thecase that one individual can satisfactorily interpret the shorthand writing of another. A further advantage of the present. system arises through the ability to use the ordinary typewriter for phonetic writing, as distinguished. iromspecially ,designed typewriters adapted exclusively to this form of writing.

The invention deals in its more specific aspects with typewriter index system which consists, .ene-rally speaking, in indicia representing the several. and the symbols which the keys.

narily the key indicia will be placed on the keys themselves, although the system may be learned from a chart showing the key arrangement andv the variousindicia appearing thereon. The particular characters represented by the key symhols are. selected in accordance with the frequency of occurr nce of sounds in the language, and accordance with their relation to the sounds of the key symbols.

It will be understood that in the broad aspects of the invention any suitable indicia may be used to indicate the circumstances under which the key symbols may represent the sounds of the phonetic characters. Preferably, though typically, however, the key indicia'carry a system of lineshaving: characteristic arrangement, direction and length, which divide the key into subdivisions or sectors. In one of these subdivisions appears the symbol printed by the key, and in one or more of the other subdivisions appear the sound or sounds which the key symbol represents in the phonetic system. Briefly stated, the direction and length of the lines indicate whether a symbol is to be used doubly or singly, and whether a certain sound appears at the beginning or end of the word. Thus the lines, symbols and characters appearing in the key indicia, present to. the typist the entire index tothe phonetic writing system. While the invention is herein described with respect to an index system of phonetic representation of English I sound, it will be apparent that the invention'i's.

equally applicable to. phonetic systems for other languages.

Having set. forth the general features and objects'o'i the invention, I shall now proceed to a more thorough and complete description of the details of a typical and preferred index system embodying the invention. For purposes of description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l isv a diagrammatic view showing the typewriter keys and the phonetic symbols and indicia appearing thereon;

Figs. 2. to 11, inclusive, show a selected, group of the keys carrying typical characters and indicia, andfrom which the system as a whole and as applied to other keys will be readily understood; and

Fig. 12. is. a diagrammatic view showing one of the keys and its type element.

.For the purpose of explaining the entire index system and the indicia appearing on each of the. several keys, it will not be necessary to refer toeach individual key as represented, in Figure 1. Many of the key indicia. are similar and others bear such semblance that an understanding of the meanings of the individuallsymbols, characters and. lines, and the combinations thereof appearing in Figs. 2 to 11 showing selected representative k ys, will suffice to enable the indicia on all the keys-to be understood. In the drawings, the keys are represented as circles and it will be understocd that as hereinafter used, the term circle is taken to indicate either the circular outline of the key or the enclosure of the indicia appearing thereon. The term segments as hereinafter used, will be understood to mean those parts intowhich the circles are divided by the index lines, appearing therein. I

The present indicia system may perhaps be best explained by first stating briefly the meaning to be given the various index lines, individually and in characteristic, combinations, and then. cite, by reference to selected keys, examples illustrating the lineinterpretation in phonetic Writing. 7

The left-hand sector on all keys, other than the letter keys, carries; two signs, the one which printed as a lower case character, and. the one which prints when the shift key is used. The large symbol in the left-hand sector is the symbol which prints when the key is struck without the shift key being used, and it is this symbol which is used normally in the present system, since the use of the shift key interferes with the development of a uniform rhythm andthe greatest possible speed. A vertical line dividing a lefthand sector from the circle indicates therefore that in this left-hand sector appear the symbols which the key prints. In the remainder of the circle appear the phonetic sounds which this symbol represents.

When no vertical line cuts oil a left-hand sector from the circle the large letter printed in the circle, or if the circle is divided by a diagonal line, the large letter appearing on the left-hand side of the diagonal line is the letter the key prints and also one of the phonetic sounds the letter represents.

A dotted horizontal line in the lower portion of any right hand sector of the circle, either above or below a diagonal line, indicates that the symbol which the key prints is doubled to add the sound below the dotted horizontal line to the sound directly above the dotted horizontal line, and that in clear context the single symbol which the key prints may be substituted for the doubled symbol and will indicate the sound which the doubled symbol represents. A diagonal line dividing the right hand sector of a circle, or any portion of the right hand sector, indicates that the symbol which the key prints may represent interchangeably the sounds given above and below the diagonal line.

A vertical line cutting off any portion of the right hand sector of a circle indicates that the sound represented in each portion of the right hand sector appears in the corresponding portion of a word. Thus sounds appearing in the left hand portion of the circle (just right of the extreme left hand sector which contains the symbol the key prints) appear initially in words; sounds appearing in the middle portion of the circle appear medially in words; sounds which are iinal in words appear in the extreme right hand portion of a circle. A horizontal line bisecting the right hand portion of the circle indicates that the symbol which the key prints represents the sounds above and below the horzontal line interchangeably, but if there is conflict between the two sounds, the symbol is doubled to represent the sound appearing below the horizontal line.

The dotted horizontal line, the diagonal line, the vertical line, and the horizontal line may appear separately or in any combination on a key, but in every case each line retains its individual meaning, and indicates the specific circumstance in which the symbol which the key prints represents each of the different phonetic sounds appearing on the key.

In Figs. 2 to 11, inclusive, each of the characteristic lines appearing in the entire index systern is shown, these lines indicating the circumstances under which the normal key symbols may represent the sounds of the phonetic characters appearing on the keys. While the particular arrangement of lines and characters on certain of the typewriter keys may differ somewhat from those shown in Figs. 2 to 11, an explanation of the latter will serve to permit a full understanding of the various arrangements appearing on all the keys.

In describing the indicia appearing on these selected keys, I shall illustrate the sounds represented by the type symbols, by citing illustrative words and their phonetic representations in accordance with the present system. The phonetic meaning of these symbols other than the one whose meaning is being illustrated in any one instance, may be determined by reference to Fig. 1.

Reference is now had to Fig. 2 showing a vertical line at the left side of the circle, cutting oif a small sector, a vertical line in this position indicating that the symbols printed in the left hand sector are the symbols which that key prints, and that the large symbol is the one which prints when the sh" t key is not used. It is this symbol which is used in brief phonetic writing. Thus the diagonal appearing in the left hand sector will also appear on the type elem nt of the key. It will be understood that with respect to each key, the symbol which that key prints, appears, along with the phonetic characters and indicia lines, on face of the key. Thus in Fig. 12, the key 13 on the lever 14, which ope ates ype bar 15 carrying the type element 16, is shown to have represented thereon a large numeral a small quotation mark, corresponding to the syi. bols on the type element.

The right hand sector of the circle in Fig. 2 carries a character representing the sound which the key symbol, that is the diagonal, represents in the phonetic system. Thus the word commencing will be phonetically written as, c,/, the diagonal representing the sound the combina tion NS. Wherever, on any one of the keys, there appears a vertical line dividing the circle as illus trated in Fig. 2, regardless of additional characters or lines appearing on the key, the verti al 7 line will retain its characteristic meaning scribed with reference to the diagonal key.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a horizontal line bisecting the right hand sector of the circle, te horisontal line indicating that the large symbol appearing in the left hand sector, which is the lower case symbol the key prints, may represent the sound of either of the two char cters appearing above and below the horizontal line. The horizontal line also indicates that if there is a conflict between the sounds of the two characters in the right hand sector, the symbol be doubled to represer the sound below the horizontal line. Thus the word cent will be written as s and the word send as sec, the 1: being doubled in the last instance to represent the sound of ND instead of NT. It is understood, however, that in clear context a single symbol may always be substituted for the doubled symbol. Thus in a sen tence such as, Will you send for a doctor? the word send would be written 5 2.

A dotted horizontal line such as indicated by the dash line close to the bottom of the right hand sector in Fig. 4, indicates that the sound appearing below that line is added to the soun of the character appearing above, when the large symbol in the left hand sector is doubled. To illustrate the occurrence of the large symbol the left hand sector to represent only the character appearing above the horizonta line, the word shoe, written in the brief phonetic system as 'lq may be taken as typical. The word fissure, written f7? illustrates an instance where the key symbol is doubled to add'R to the character above the horizontal line.

In Fig. 5 there is shcwna horizontal line, preferably though not necessarily a dash line, close to the bottom of a circle, there being no division in the upper part of the circle. The horizontal line in this instance indicates that the lett r appearing in the upper part of the circle represents the sound of the symbol or letter as printed, and

that the letter doubled adds the sound appearing,

below the horizontal line. Find, phonetically written as fi may be cited as an example of the single occurrence of the letter above the horiczi ; horizontal line.

zont'al line torepresent its sound, whereas the word offer, written as (iii illustrates an instance in which the letter is doubled. to add R. In the word deciphering, phonetically written 42' the single symbol is substituted for the doubled syrn of the symbol as printed, and thatthe symbol is;

doubled finally, thatis at the end of the word, to

add 'the sound appearing below the. dottedhorh zontal' line. This: indicates that the. sound represen-ted by the symbol does not add another sound by doubling at the beginning of a word. Thus" the word stained, written as .aeillustrates' a singleoccurrence of the letter to represent its sound, and the word spare, written as ;aa an instance in which the letter is doubled to add the sound of the letter appearing below the dotted horizontal line. In such a word as perspiring, written ;i,'a single letter i substitutes clearly for the doubled letter Where the key carries a vertical lineat the left of the circle and a secondvertical line in the lower portion of the circle and meeting with a horizontal line as shown in Fig. '7, the circle is divided into three sectors. In this instance the large symbol appearing in the left hand sector may represent the sounds'oi either of the char" acters appearing in the other two sectors. The vertical line dividing. the lower half of the right 'I hand sector indicates that the large symbol in the left sector, which is the symbol which the key prints when the shift is not used, represents the sound of the character in the upper right hand sector at all times in a word, since the sector of Q the circle in which this character appear is. open 'rom beginning to end of the portion of the circle in which sound is indicated, and the sound of the character in the lower right hand sector is also represented by the symbol which the key prints, .but the symbol which the key prints represents I this sound only medially or at the end of a word.

The horizontal line which the vertical line meets indicates that if there is a conflict between the two sounds which the symbol represents, the symbol.

Where a circle is divided by two vertical lines, see Fig. 8, and the right hand sector is divided by a vertical line, it is indicated that the large symbol in the left hand sector, which is the symbol which the key prints when the shift is not used,

represents the sound appearing in the sector immediately following it at the beginning of a 7 word, and the sound in the right sector medially, or at the end of a word. The dotted horizontal line close to the bottom of the right hand sector indicates that the symbol may be doubled medially or at the end of a word to add the sound appearing below the horizontal linein the right hand sector to the sound appearing above the dotted Sling thus appear as 8, illustrating a single occurrence of the: symbol torepresent the sound appearing: in the. first sec-- tor of the circle devoted to the phonetic sounds the symbol represents, the word. solution. being written as 8M8 wherein the symbol appears at the end of the phonetic word to indicate the sound appearing in the right hand sector. An. instance where the symbol is doubled: finally to. add. the: sound appearing below the horizontal line to thatindicated thereabovaoccurs. in the word petitioner written as @288. In a phrase such as Christian Science practitioner the word-practitioner,, is written kti in phonetic representation, since it cannot be mistaken n context.

On some. of the keys appear combinations. of

horizontal diagonal lines whicl though. com-- bined, still rot" in their. characteristic meanings. The diagonal lines illustrated in'Fig. 9 indicate that the large symbol in the left hand sector may represent. either of the two. sounds printed in the sectors above and below the diagonal l'lL The: horizontal dotted line. and the vertical line appearing in the upper right hand sector indicate that the character below the dotted horizontal line and on the right of the vertical line. may be added to the sound within. the upper right hand sector by doubling thelarge symbol appearing in. the left hand sector, which. is the symbol the key prints when the shift is not used. It will be noted. that the dotted horizontal line extends only across the right hand side of the. upper right hand sector, this indicating that the large symbol in. the. hand sector, is only doubled finally to add to sound appearing in. the upper right hand sec-v tor the sound appearing below the dotted. hori zontal line. Thus the. word spouting. written as ;5i',il1i tes a single occurrence of the symbol in the left hand sector to. represent the sound; of the character appearing in the upper right. hand. sector. In spasm appearing as ;.5' the large symbol the left hand sector is. used finally to. representithe sound of the character appearing. in the lower right hand sector, beyond. the diagoe nal line. In the word something 53, the large symbol in the left hand sector is used initially to represent the sound of the character appearing in the lower right hand sector- Where, as. in

. sour Written 5555. the. large bol in the left.

hand sector is doubled finally, the sound appearing below the dotted horizontalline in the upper right hand sector is added to. the sound appearing in that sector; In the word towering. written t5, a single symbol substitutes in clear context for a doubled symbol. (A penult syllable is considered as final, in longer words. an ante'penult syllable may be treated as final. Despairingly is clearly read from the phonetic representation 410ml. Whether or not. a syllable is final is determined by its position in relation to the root form of a word.)

In Fig. 10, as in certain of the previously'described instances, the vertical line at the left hand side of the circle indicates the symbols which the key prints, the large symbol being the symbol printed when the shift key is not used, and the symbol whichis used in phoneticrepresentation. The diagonalline bisecting the right hand sector of the circle indicates that the large symbol appearing in the left hand sector may represent any of the sounds appearing on each side of the diagonal line. The dotted horizontal line and the vertical line in the upper right hand sector above the diagonal line indicate through the combined meaning of a dotted horizontal line and the mean- Y ing of a vertical line that the large symbol in the indicate its own sound.

left hand sector may be doubled at the end of a word to indicate that the sound. appearing below the dotted horizontal line of the upper right hand sector is added to the sound of that sector, i. e. foyer is written m4. The horizontal line dividing into equal parts the portion of the circle below the diagonal line indicates that the large symbol in the left-hand sectormay represent either of the sounds appearing above and below the horizontal line, and that if there is a conflict between these two sounds, the large symbol in the left hand sector may be doubled to represent the sound of the characters appearing below the horizontal line.

Still referring to Fig. 10, the word boils phonetically written as 346 illustrates the single medial occurrence of the large symbol in the left hand sector to denote the sound of the character in the upper right hand sector. In disciplined, ipp the large symbol in the left hand sector appears initially to indicate the sound of the character below the horizontal line at the right of the diagonal. In louts written as 154 the large symbol of the left hand sector appears finally, indicating the sound or" the character above the last mentioned horizontal line. Destroyer, 4044 illustrates an instance in which the large symbol of the left hand sector is doubled finally to add the sound appearing at the right of the vertical line and below the dotted horizontal line in the upper right hand sector to the sound of the upper right hand sector. In another instance, such as the word seeds written seed the symbol is doubled finally to represent the sound of a character appearing below the horizontal line at the right of the diagonal, and in such a word as crowds k5 1i both initially and finally a single symbol represents sounds which in other words may require a doubled symbol to represent them.

In Fig. 11, the symbol appearing above the dotted horizontal line and at the left of the diagonalline may represent either its own sound or the sound of the character shown the right of the diagonal line. The letter symbol at the left of the diagonal line may be doubled to add to its sound, the sound of the character below the dotted horizontal line. Happenstance, phonetically typed hpnj, illustrates an instance in which the symbol above the dotted horizontal line and at the left of the diagonal line appears initially to In manners h2 the symbol on the left of the diagonal line appears singly to represent the sound of the characters at the right of the diagonal line. Ihe symbol is doubled as hermits hhme to add to the sound of the character above the dotted horizontal line the sound appearing directly below.

For purposes of convenience of illustration and order that the typewriter key symbols will appear most distinctly as written herein, I have underscored the typed brief phonetic transcription of sound. This however has been done solely for the purposes of explanation. Ordinarily, and preferably, the typedv letters appear in the phonetic writing as small letters for the reason that writing without using the shift key develops a uniform rhythm and the greatest possible speed.

I claim:

1. A phonetic writing typewriter including a plurality of type bars carrying usual alphabetic letters, and a corresponding plurality of keys interconnected to the several type bars, each keyhaving a character indicating the corresponding alphabetic letter and also having symbols indicating phonetic sounds which the alphabetical letter may represent in difierent intra-word positions. r

2. A phonetic writing typewriter including a plurality of type bars carrying usual alphabetic letters, and a corresponding plurality of keys in terconnected to the several type bars, each key having a character indicating the corresponding alphabetic letter and also having, inarked'off by lines in various positions and directions, symbols indicating phonetic sounds which the alphabetic letter may represent, the positions and directions of the lines indicating the different intra-word positions in which the letter represents the sound.

3. in combination, a plurality of type bars carrying usual alphabetic letters; a corresponding plurality of keys interconnected to the several type bars, and a chart having thereon representations of keys in order and relationship corresponding to that of the typewriter keys, each representation having a character indicating the corresponding alphabetic letter and also having, marked off by lines in various positions and directions, symbols indicating phonetic sounds which the alphabetic letter may represent, the positions and directions of the lines indicating the different intra-word positions in which the letter represents the sound.

4. In combination, a plurality of type bars carrying usual alphabetic letters, a corresponding plurality of keys interconnected to the several type bars, and a chart having thereon representations of keys in order and relationship corresponding to that of the typewriter keys, each representation having symbols showing phonetic sounds which the alphabetic letters may represent in different intra-word positions, the several elements of the chart being positioned on the several corresponding keys.

VESTA wrLLs HANCOCK. 

